Kingdom Mabuza

Kingdom Mabuza

ANC president Jacob Zuma says his party is approaching the general elections knowing very well that God is on their side.

"When priests pray for poverty to end and for development, then it means God agrees with the ANC because the ANC stands for those things," Zuma said.

Zuma was speaking at Kwaggafontein Stadium in Mpumalanga yesterday where he told church leaders they must persuade believers to vote for the ANC.

"When you preach in your churches, just explain to the congregation - in a paragraph - about the ANC.

"People who love God must not play with their votes, they must vote for the ANC. We believers know that Jesus will come back, we say the ANC will rule until he comes back," said Zuma.

"We in the ANC know God. When the ANC was born, it was baptised. We have respect, we are beautiful, we conduct ourselves in a good way."

Zuma said the ANC will not hesitate to remove officials who were not prepared to work for the people.

"We do not want lazy people. If you are lazy we will remove you. If you are corrupt we will remove you. When you are in government and you think you are above the ANC we will remove you."

Without mentioning Cope presidential candidate Mvume Dandala by name, Zuma said: "I heard this bishop on the radio or TV this morning saying [Nelson] Mandela belongs to all of us. I am warning them, Madiba belongs to the ANC. Madiba has never even thought about leaving the ANC."

l Riot Hlatshwayo reports that on Saturday ANCYL president Julius Malema said "Helen Zille was a political toddler". "That is the same with all those who left the ANC after stealing from us. They are corrupt and that includes the arms deal."